Figure 3.13 A satellite altimeter measures
the height of the satellite above the sea surface. When this is subtracted
from the height r of the satellite's orbit,
the difference is sea level relative to the center of the Earth.
The shape of the surface is due to variations in gravity, which produce
the geoid undulations, and to ocean currents which produce the oceanic
topography, the
departure of the sea surface from the geoid. The reference ellipsoid
is the best smooth approximation to the geoid. From Stewart, 1985.